THE Mariners' stay at the top of the pile may have been brief – but Saturday's battling draw at Ebbsfleet provides more reasons to be optimistic than downhearted.
For it was just the kind of 'blood and guts' encounter that the Town of old may well have lost.
Facing a physical and uncompromising Fleet side – very much in manager Liam Daish's own image – the visitors' promotion credentials were given a thorough examination.
But on a freezing afternoon in Kent, Town passed another test – maybe not with flying colours, but it was a pass nevertheless.
And with a little more composure on the ball, especially in the final third, the Mariners could have been heading home with all three points and their place at the Conference summit restored.
As it was, Newport County's lunchtime victory saw them leapfrog Town into top spot prior to kick-off at Stonebridge Road – and that's where the Welsh side stay going into tomorrow evening's matches.
Nathan Pond was back in the starting line-up in the south east, returning from a knock to replace the unfortunate Ian Miller at centre-half.
Elsewhere Sam Hatton came into the side at the expense of Bradley Wood, while Ross Hannah and Andy Cook led the line.
Of the starting strikers at Buxton for last week's FA Trophy replay, Michael Rankine dropped to the bench and Greg Pearson was omitted from the squad completely.
Winger Louie Soares, who played nine times for the Fleet this season during a loan spell in Kent, also travelled but watched from the stands – where he had a great view of Marcus Marshall's sublime opening goal.
The game was less than three minutes old when Hannah set the wideman free down the left flank, allowing the Bury man to cut inside and curl a sumptuous right-footer into the far corner.
Home keeper Preston Edwards got a touch on it, but, in truth, the shot was in all the way and the Town fans massed behind that goal knew it.
Town's Dayle Southwell had two powerful drives blocked in the box following a clever, low corner shortly after. And a superb run down the left from Aswad Thomas almost created the visitors' second, with Andy Cook inches away from poking his cross home at the near post.
The young striker then planted a tame header on target – which Edwards gathered easily – before Thomas' driven cross hit Marshall six yards out when a goal looked certain.
Ashley Carew had the hosts' first effort on goal in the 17th minute, but James McKeown in the Town goal clutched it comfortably enough.
The frenetic start continued as Carew skipped off the left flank and, when his effort found its way to the unmarked Matt Godden at the far post, the forward looked certain to level the scores with a diving header.
However, McKeown spread himself superbly to parry the ball away and preserve Town's slender advantage.
Phil Walsh had an equally good chance in the 22nd minute when another Fleet corner was flicked on at the near post but the centre-half could only plant his header over from ten yards out.
Hannah then blazed a 25-yarder high and wide after another enterprising run by Marshall, before Shaun Pearson's header from a corner forced Edwards into a stunning point-blank save.
Fleet broke down the field and Liam Enver-Marum and Tom Phipps brought further saves from McKeown as the action continued.
It was an opening half hour to warm the cockles but, despite a brief lull, there was more to come before the break.
Unfortunately for Town, that came in the shape of an equaliser.
In the 43rd minute, Phipp's cross from the right was sliced on by Craig Disley at full stretch and the ball dropped perfectly for Godden in front of goal to tap home.
The lively striker then had claims for a penalty waved away by referee Adam Bromley after collapsing under Pond's challenge before an entertaining, end-to-end half came to an end.
Godden almost brought the second period to life just three minutes in with a powerful effort from 25 yards but McKeown was equal to it.
And, at the other end, Pearson rose highest to plant another header over the home crossbar.
Cook blazed a shot from distance over before another Marshall run gave Hannah the space to bend a first-time effort from 25 yards narrowly wide of the far post with Edwards scrambling across his goal.
Dangerman Carew almost squeezed a low drive past McKeown at one end – but was thwarted – and Edwards was required seconds later to tip away Marshall's shot on the run.
Joe Colbeck made his return from injury in the 69th minute, replacing Southwell, but with time running out, the second half was lacking the cut and thrust of the first – and needed a spark.
Rankine also entered the fray, for Cook, and Town thought they had earned all three points as the game entered its last ten minutes.
A long throw from Hatton was half cleared to Derek Niven 30 yards out and his piledriver looked destined for the back of the net until a Fleet leg deflected the ball a couple of inches over bar.
Then with six minutes left, the Mariners came equally close to leaving with nothing
McKeown slipped and was unable to clear Disley's bobbling backpass, allowing Godden to surge past him. However, the visiting keeper did superbly to recover and dive at the striker's feet again to get away with just a corner.
Rankine dragged a shot from 20 yards wide with five seconds remaining, and that was the last of the action as Town left Kent with a solitary point for their efforts.
The Mariners drop to second place and – with the likes Forest Green Rovers and Wrexham hot on their heels – tomorrow evening's trip to Gateshead takes on even greater significance.
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